Virginia City Looks to Turn the Tide Against Wells

Virginia City’s softball squad will defend their home diamond for the first time this season when they take on the Wells Leopards at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. If history indicates, spectators should prepare for a slugfest that will keep the scorekeeper’s pencil busy.

The Muckers enter the contest smarting from a 23-13 defeat at the hands of a non-varsity opponent last Saturday, marking their first loss of the season. Despite the setback, their bats were alive and well, as the team posted a blistering .500 batting average.

The ever-reliable Nanna Lopez went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and a pair of runs. She’s been swiping bases with the consistency of a riverboat gambler, having recorded at least one steal in her last eight games. Tesla Turley also made her presence known, going 3-for-4 while crossing home plate twice and snatching two bags.

Meanwhile, Wells arrives in town fresh off a 15-0 drubbing of Carlin, a victory that ended a nine-game losing skid against the Railroaders on their home turf. The Leopards found their ace in Aryanna Rodriguez, who shut down Carlin’s offense with three innings of one-hit ball.

Rodriguez flexed her speed on the basepaths, swiping two bags and scoring a run in her 1-for-2 outing. Wells’ offense got a turbocharge from Adriana Aguilar, who turned in a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate, including a home run, two stolen bases, and five RBIs. Jitzel Rivas joined in the fun, crossing home three times while going 2-for-2.

While Wells hopes to continue their winning ways, Virginia City seeks a measure of redemption. The Muckers fell to the Leopards 18-7 in their last meeting in May, but perhaps the familiar dirt of their home field will yield a different fate this time.

In other action, Wooster will attempt to shake off a lingering losing streak when they host Fernley at 10:00 a.m. Saturday. The Colts have been on the receiving end of eight straight defeats, their latest coming in an 18-1 loss to Elko.

The Vaqueros, on the other hand, are riding high after a 20-0 shutout over Sparks, their third straight win. Ximena Rodriguez played ringmaster in the rout, reaching base in all four plate appearances and scoring three times. Taylor Tollestrup added a 2-for-2 effort with a run scored.

Fernley’s bats have been sizzling, and their pitching staff has been stingy, allowing just one run per game over their last three outings. Meanwhile, Wooster is still searching for the key to unlocking victory. Whether the Colts can find their footing or Fernley continues its stampede remains to be seen—but come Saturday, the diamond will decide.